Strength Amid Strain: Coping, Racism, and Racial Socialization Stress in Black Caregivers

This study examined Black caregivers' affective responses to racial discrimination (i.e., the extent to which they reported being bothered by discriminatory experiences) and how these responses were associated with stress associated with navigating racial socialization practices (i.e., stress during conversations about race and racism with children). We further tested whether coping self-efficacy beliefs (i.e., problem-focused coping, suppressing unpleasant emotions and thoughts, and seeking support from family and friends) moderated the association between racial discrimination and racial socialization stress. The sample included a socioeconomically diverse sample of 680 Black caregivers (<i>M</i>_age = 37, 55% mothers). A significant interaction indicated that among caregivers who reported being highly bothered by racial discrimination, higher levels of problem-focused coping were associated with greater racial socialization stress, whereas lower levels of problem-focused coping were associated with lower stress. Being highly bothered by racial discrimination and reporting high levels of stopping unpleasant emotions and thoughts as a coping strategy was associated with the lower levels of racial socialization stress in comparison to those with lower levels of stopping unpleasant emotions and thoughts. Black caregivers, under the conditions of reporting being bothered by racism, with higher levels of family and friend support had lower levels of racial socialization stress in comparison to those with lower levels of family and friend support. The findings highlight the need to support Black caregivers in building effective coping strategies and social support networks.